Housing

Brent’s experience with housing injustice led him to commit himself as an advocate in SJ for neighbourhood revitalization efforts and gathering neighbours to work together. As a builder, a former long-term tenant, with education in community development, he brings a range of perspective that makes him a valuable asset to council

Saint John Priorities for housing:

  • Take major action in our neighbourhoods to repair, revitalize, and only demolish if all other avenues are exhausted. Every building saved is a home for someone desperately waiting for safe and affordable housing.

  • Champion the cause of tenants who desperately need new legislation at the provincial level to protect them.

  • Work with landlords to develop a new game plan for legislation that can help us retain and protect landlords that take initiatives in protecting tenants and our housing

  • Allocate new housing funds to help community groups attempting to restore, repair and upgrade rundown buildings into affordable housing.

  • New measures to prevent buildings from being abandoned and falling into disrepair (as per the Local Governance Act section 137). This includes the implementation of a new early warning system to alert the city about potentially vacant and dangerous buildings sooner and new measures to punish irresponsible building owners.

  • Retargeting our granting system for things like beautification to help struggling neighborhoods